THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ending his silence after three CPI(M) leaders opted to contest as Congress-backed independents, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said some cadres were increasingly driven by “parliamentary ambitions.”
"It is true that an unusual trend is emerging among some leaders. Such tendencies were not common in our party earlier. It may be due to changes over time," Vijayan said, referring to leaders such as G Sudhakaran, V Kunhikrishnan and T K Govindan, who are contesting the Assembly election as Independents from Ambalappuzha, Payyanur and Taliparamba, respectively.
He said both Sudhakaran and Govindan were senior leaders and such developments should not have occurred.
"They have destroyed their long political legacy. In our view, this amounts to betrayal-joining hands with rivals to weaken the party," he said.
Vijayan said Sudhakaran had never been sidelined and was, in fact, one of the most accepted leaders in the party.
He pointed out that the party had taken a decision at its congress to step aside leaders aged 75 or older.
Vijayan said Sudhakaran was unwilling to accept this norm despite being invited to party events in Alappuzha.
"After the issue arose, I tried to contact him several times, but he did not respond," Vijayan said in an interview with Asianet News, adding that Sudhakaran may have felt he could no longer function as before.
On T K Govindan's allegation that he was denied a ticket, Vijayan said the party follows a structured process in candidate selection.
Responding to the controversy over fielding P K Shyamala, wife of CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan, from Taliparamba, Vijayan said she was a senior leader in her own right.
"When a woman candidate was considered for Taliparamba, her name came up first. It was not because she is M V Govindan's wife. She has her own identity," he said.
He added that potential controversies should not deny deserving candidates opportunities.
On shifting former Health Minister K K Shailaja from Mattanur to Peravoor, Vijayan said the party was confident of retaining Mattanur and therefore deployed her in another constituency.
Asked whether her popularity and projection as a potential chief minister could affect the party, Vijayan said such decisions are taken only after elections.
"The CPI(M) decides on the chief minister only after the results. Such questions do not arise now," he said.
On whether he would take up the role of Leader of the Opposition if the LDF loses, Vijayan said all such decisions would be taken at the appropriate time.
Addressing allegations of favouritism towards PWD Minister P A Mohammed Riyas, his son-in-law, Vijayan, denied any bias and said ministerial responsibilities are decided collectively by the LDF.
"He has achieved his position through his political work, not due to personal relations," he said.
On the controversy over his absence at a National Highway inauguration event, Vijayan said the state government had been in regular contact with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari regarding highway development.
He said the event was initially planned for January, but later scheduled following the prime minister's visit, and he had informed that he would not be able to attend due to prior commitments.
"Only after that did the controversy over not inviting the PWD Minister arise. I do not wish to respond to the political allegations around it now," he said.
Regarding corruption allegations linked to his daughter Veena Vijayan's firm, Vijayan said such charges were politically motivated.
"These are attempts to target me. Similar allegations were raised in the previous election as well. I do not take them seriously," he said.
On the BJP's growth in Kerala, Vijayan acknowledged the party's victory in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation as a reality.
"We did not expect it, but it has alerted us, and we are moving forward accordingly," he said.
He reiterated that the CPI(M) views Jamaat-e-Islami as a communal organisation and said no forces that promote communalism would be allowed to operate in the state.
Vijayan also said Kerala had been transformed into an investment-friendly state and that corruption levels had come down due to government efforts.
On the Sabarimala issue, he said the party's stand has consistently been that the entry of women of menstruating age should be decided in consultation with religious scholars and social reformers.
"The same position has been conveyed to the court. In 2018, entry was allowed following the Supreme Court verdict," he said.
He added that the government had not interfered in the probe into the Sabarimala gold loss case, which is being monitored by the Kerala High Court.
(With inputs from PTI)